Part Of Me
by LightningFarr0n
Summary: Stefan and Caroline are entirely in love. They head up to a cabin to visit some friends, and despite almost getting into an accident along the way, all seems well in the world. But, is it really? T unless changed later on.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: Even though I am working on the other story currently, this idea has been around in my head for **years**. Initially, I wanted to use this storyline for another fandom and pairing, but I never got around to writing it. Once I started to write it, I wasn't as enthusiastic about said fandom any longer and as the story plot still taunted me, I realized recently that it would be a perfect Stefan and Caroline fiction! My new love for Vampire Diaries has really taken on a mind of it's own and Steroline has to be my favorite ship in a long, long time. Anyways, I hope this pairing will do my idea justice, though I think they will. Here's the prologue and I hope you enjoy it! Feedback would be appreciated so I know if anyone is interested in reading this or not. Oh, and don't worry. I'm still busy working on the first Steroline fiction I started. =)_

_Please note that this story is AU. Caroline is still a human girl and Stefan has been with her for quite some time, meaning that Stefan and Elena haven't happened at all. Yes, Stefan is a vampire and some of the show will be incorporated into the story but most of this will be AU._

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><p>Prologue<p>

Darkened blue streaks from the sky managed to peek beneath heavy blankets of clouds. The gloomy weather was dramatically changing the atmosphere, and it was telling everyone in it's path that the sparkling summer wasn't going to shine for the rest of the day. As the rain splattered across the windshield of the black SUV, the wipers worked frantically to keep a visible path for the confused brunette in charge of the wheel. While the downpour was the majority of his problem, he had another thing silently torturing him. Stefan had managed to get lost on the twisted road of the mountain through the hazy rain.

"I think we were supposed to turn back there." Caroline informed him as her blue eyes darted over the map she held firmly in her hands.

Stefan glanced briefly with a small laugh in her direction. "And you couldn't have told me this five minutes ago?" He questioned, though his amusement left quickly as his attention went back on the road.

"I was distracted!" Caroline sharply responded with a light hearted scoff.

He laughed a little more as his green eyes tried to pierce the splashing water and remain steady on the road. Allowing a sigh of his own to push out of his lips, Stefan brought the SUV to the nearest broken path and allowed the vehicle to take a u-turn. "Distracted? From what?" He rose his eyebrows curiously as he gazed back at her almost lovingly through his amusement.

"The rain and all it's splashing behavior. It's hard to read the map, okay?" She tilted her head to the right gently as she shot him her own gaze with a tiny laugh.

He shook his head and took a quick peek at the GPS. "That's why they invented these lovely things."

"I think the rain fried it out or something. It hasn't been working for miles and you know it." The blonde girl poked back, almost sarcastic in tone.

"Okay, okay. You go ahead and be map girl in the back." Stefan offered since the rain seemed to be less harsh and loud in the back of the car.

She settled in his side, her head resting on his shoulder softly as her blue eyes fell on the road ahead of them. It had been a silent journey up the mountain and Caroline enjoyed being alone with Stefan, despite the pounding rain on either side of the vehicle. "I want to stay up here though." She protested quietly.

Smiling to himself, he kept his attention directly ahead of them, even if his body started to grow warmer from the heat radiating off her body. "I need directions, Care. You're my only hope."

Playfully laughing once more, Caroline grasped the map and ran a stray hand through his soft hair before unbuckling herself and climbing into the backseat with the crinkled paper. "I'm only doing this because you said I'm your last chance of survival." She informed him, entirely serious.

Finally taking that left turn they needed, Stefan grinned at her in the rear view mirror. "So, where to next?"

Fixating on the map once more, her eyes traced the lines for the roads as she tried to pin point their location. "I hope Elena and Matt have rented a cabin that's actually worth it this summer. Last year wasn't all that was cracked up to be. Not to mention the poison oak. Ew." She seemed to ramble on as she finally found their location. "Oh! Right, um, we need to take another left coming up here in a mile or so."

Nodding his own head, Stefan agreed with her words. He enjoyed the fact that they all got together during the summer and spent time together as friends, but he also wanted to settle into something comfortable for the week. "Thank you," he gently responded as she spoke of the directions, his eyes falling back into the rear view as they caught a hold of her blue orbs.

"You're welcome." Caroline responded as softly. Her own eyes fell into a trance with his and her heart raced wildly, something it always did around Stefan.

He could have been lost in those blue eyes forever if he allowed himself to. Caroline Forbes was the only person who made being eternal entirely worth it. If he had looked back on his past and tried to recognize when he was at his happiest, it wouldn't have been anywhere else than with the bouncy blonde girl. He would have stayed at her side until she was at her last breath, and until then Stefan would have gone to the ends of the world to keep her safe. She was a vibrant person, someone he admired and someone who made his entire being shake when he was in close contact with her. As the rain summoned him back to reality, he realized he had been lost in a trance as Caroline's expression had turned from loving to entirely horrified and her usually soft eyes were widened with fear.

"Stefan! Look out!" She cried suddenly, her breath hitching in her throat.

His eyes finally came back to the road only to be blinded by the large white headlights in front of them. Almost instantly, he steered off as sharply as he could to the right, the SUV taking a plunge off the side of the road with a screech from the tires hitting the wet surface. He braced himself for any contact that may have came upon the sudden stop into the trees as his foot crashed as hard as it could on the brakes. His ears deafened with the squealing of the brakes and the scream of terror from his girlfriend's mouth, a sound he had hoped he would have never had to of heard.

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><p><em>Word count: 969<em>


	2. Chapter 1

_Author's note: Well, it took me long enough to think of something to write for this, didn't it? I assure you that I still really want to write this fiction, I've just had a very hectic life the last few months and the creative part in the writing process of my brain has not been very fluent and alive lately. Finally came up with something to wrap this chapter up with though, and I really hope it's decent. I apologize in advance if it isn't the best, but I will have more for this story soon! Much sooner than the last update if I have enough time to really sit down and relax and enjoy writing again. Thanks for being patient and enjoy! ps. Note that I'll still be continuing the other story too, I just have to get back to it. :)_ Reviews and feedback are appreciated~!

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><p>Stiffening with fear, Caroline grasped onto the seat in front of her as she braced herself for the impact of the crash, fearing that they may smack into the trees. Her heart was racing as wildly as she could have remembered and with the speed of the impact, she was terrified they weren't going to make it out alive. Luckily enough, the crash never came and as she peeled her eyes open, she saw Stefan in the front seat breathing as heavily as she was, the own look of fear striking his usually vibrant green eyes. The loud horn from the truck finally passed and was off into the distance before it was silent and all she could hear was the crashing rain once more among their breathing. It had seemed to last forever and yet when her eyes fell back onto the clock it had only been a mere moment.<p>

Staring at the steering wheel, Stefan allowed his hands to finally release the death grip they held on it. He took a few deep breaths before his nerves came to a calmer state and his stomach quit wildly spinning. If he hadn't turned in time, Caroline would have been a goner for sure. His eyes loosely shut and Stefan rest his head against the back of the seat, his ears focusing on the gentle sounds of the windshield wipers and the pattern of the rain falling against the car. He felt Caroline's arms loosely wrap around his shoulders from behind and a gentle kiss pressing into his cheek before he popped open his eyes once more.

Caroline let her head rest against his momentarily before she spoke. "It's okay, Stefan. We're okay. I'm okay." Her voice was calm and collected, though her trembling body spoke otherwise.

He moved one of his own hands up to her arms and rest it there. "I wasn't paying attention. If anything would have happened-" Stefan expressed, upset with himself for not keeping his eyes on the road.

"Stefan.." Caroline started, her grip on her boyfriend becoming a little tighter. "_I'm fine. _We're fine. Okay?" She repeated.

The blinking orange from a light on the dashboard of the car signaled Stefan's attention. He looked over to see a low tire pressure warning and frowned slightly at this. It was going to be hard to change to a spare if one of the tires had managed to flatten in this storm. He turned his head to look at her and brought his lips gently to her own with a soft peck. "I'm going to change the tire. I'll be right back." He informed her.

Nodding softly, she continued to gaze at him, falling deeply into his green hues once more. "And I'll be here when you return." And with that, Caroline climbed into the passenger's seat so that she could reach over and embrace Stefan tightly.

Allowing his strong arms to come around her small frame, he hugged her as tightly as he could have in the small space of the car. Her scent filled his nose as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck before he pressed another light kiss on her skin. He was glad she hadn't gotten injured in the process and the guilt he felt for his attention not staying on the road was quickly swept away by her warmth. Stefan could feel Caroline's steady breathing in the side of his own neck and he smiled gently, his lips curving easily. "I love you," he whispered.

Her eyes shut, she fell silent until Stefan spoke. "I love you, too."

Once he pulled away from her, his hands came to her face and he brushed some of her blonde locks behind one of her ears. Leaning in, his lips grazed hers and he kissed her softly before pulling away and allowing himself to gaze into her eyes once more. With a small nod of his head, Stefan turned the ignition of the car off and propped open the door, the rain beginning to splash him before he even stepped outside the vehicle. Making his way quickly out of the suv, his feet hit the wet grass underneath him and he brought the hood of his hoodie over his head, hoping the rain would stay out of his face. The brunette hurried over to the trunk and propped it open.

As he pushed aside some of their belongings, Stefan's eyes came upon the spare in the trunk and the tire iron. Grabbing the jack and the tire iron, Stefan walked around the car examining each tire until he found the faulty one. Unfortunately, the tire was in need of a change and he shook his head slightly at it as he pressed his lips firmly together in disappointment. Sighing, he turned around to make sure there wasn't going to be any on coming traffic that might witness his unusual ability to prop the car onto the jack with some of that extra vampire strength. Once he figured the coast was clear enough, he rushed to the side of the car in a flash of light, placing the jack underneath the car as he pumped fiercely with his strong arms to raise the car quickly and efficiently.

Using more of his speed, he managed to remove all the bolts in the tire and take it off before applying the new tire. Tightening them, the slippery rain made the job a little more difficult, but not too difficult. Successful in his job, he removed the jack and dashed to the back of the car, coming to a stop and placing all the items in the trunk before hopping back into the car. Dropping the hood from his head, the rain had managed to soak his hair and face and Stefan used a free hand to wipe away some of the drops of water.

He heard a small snicker and turned his head to the blonde in the passenger's seat. "What?" He asked, not amused since the worry still gently pumped in his veins.

Caroline tried to stifle her small giggles. "Nothing." She returned.

Stefan tilted his head a little as he eyed her more seriously. "It looks that bad, doesn't it?" He knew it was the rain that had dampened his hair that caused her to laugh.

"It's cute." She smiled, as if the initial scare had never happened, Caroline was already moving on from the heart stopping event.

He smirked himself before moving in closer to her. "Cute, huh?"

She nodded before looping her arms entirely around his neck and pulling him into herself. Her lips came upon his, the heat of her own meshing with his. Caroline's eyes fluttered shut as the movement of his own hands came to her sides and she moaned lightly against the kiss. Breaking it momentarily, her eyes rose above herself to the car door and she moved a free hand towards the door handle where the lock symbol for the doors sat.

"Let me help you with that." Stefan insisted and one of his own hands rose above the two of them to meet hers near the button. He pressed it down, hearing the small clicking sound that indicated the doors were locked. As he did so, his lips found hers again in a passionate kiss before his hand dropped back to her side and slowly roamed her body.

[x]

Finally arriving to the cabin in question, the SUV came to a slow stop on the drive way and Stefan's eyes took in the sight of the car that Elena and Matt must have drove up in. He shook his head slightly as he wondered how the two managed to trek all the way up through a storm in a simple four door car. His mind quickly came with the conclusion that they must have arrived a night earlier than he and Caroline had. Taking the keys out of the ignition, Stefan glanced at the blonde beside him as she pulled away from her comfortable resting spot on his shoulder. "Would you like to be escorted in?" He offered a little playfully.

The rain had yet to let up and as Caroline sat up and slowly stretched out her arms. She nodded with a grin. "That sounds like a perfect idea." She answered, her blue eyes almost twinkling in the low light from the darkened clouds above the clustered forest.

Stefan grinned as well before opening the door to the SUV and hurrying out. He met with Caroline on the passengers side before pulling her out of the vehicle and into his arms. Shutting the door and pressing the lock button on the key, the two laughed together as the rain pelted them gently while Stefan jogged in long strides towards the little cabin. Once they had managed to take some shelter from the rain underneath the patio, he set her down on her feet and pressed his forehead lovingly against hers before the front door of the cabin propped to an open.

"You made it!" Elena appeared in the doorway, her long brown locks pulled back into a ponytail as to probably avoid much contact with the rain.

Caroline wasted no time in stepping away from Stefan and greeting her friend with a warm hug. "I'm so sorry we're a little late. We took a wrong turn and had to back track after some of the rain died down." She gave her friend a squeeze before releasing her arms.

Stefan watched as the two interacted and smiled to himself. Not too long after, Matt appeared in the doorframe behind the brunette and Stefan made a greeting motion with his head before taking a few steps forward to offer a friendly man hug. "Haven't seen you in a while, how's it going, man?" He offered.

Matt laughed lightly in response to the vampire. While he didn't entirely agree with Caroline or Elena after finding out about what Stefan really was, he had grown to enjoy interacting with him. Coming to his own conclusion, Matt didn't deem him to be as evil as the rest of their hometown had made vampires out to be. "Pretty good, though I can't say the same about you. It looks like the storm got quite a bit of you two." He teased, pointing out that Stefan was still pretty wet from the rain drenching him earlier on.

He nodded his head easily and the vampire chuckled lightly himself. "Try changing a flat tire in this weather."

"Ouch," Elena piped up as she heard him speak. "Well, why don't you two come in and warm yourselves up by the fire? I'm sure a change of pace from the rain would be refreshing." She added.

"I wouldn't say we didn't already warm ourselves up." Caroline said almost quietly to her friend.

Stefan's eyes met hers and then he glanced at the other couple in the doorway. "And with that, I shall get the bags."

Caroline giggled against her lips as she bit down lightly on her lower lip, Elena eyeing her as if she was all ears suddenly. "We'll be inside." She told her boyfriend before looping an arm with her bestie and strolling into the cabin easily.

"So that's what took you guys so long." Matt stated with his own little smirk.

Stefan looked away though his lips curved easily. "No comment." He replied before turning on his heel and hurrying back to the vehicle. Opening the trunk, he grabbed two of the suitcases and he heard some splashing footsteps run beside him. To his surprise, Matt had joined him and he gave the guy a pleasant look. "Thanks," his tone entirely grateful.

Grabbing the other two bags, Matt pulled his own hood over his head. "No sweat. Let's make this quick though because I don't know about you man, but I would rather not get sick this weekend from this damn downpour." His own tone was friendly towards Stefan.

The vampire allowed a relaxed laugh to settle against his lips before they lugged the suitcases out of the vehicle and darted for shelter from the rain once more. Once they came to the porch, he let a loose hand pat his friend on the back and grinned to the blonde. "I can take it from here. You head on inside." He offered.

Matt eyed him almost in a playful annoyance. "Dude, you don't have to do everything all the time just because you've got inhuman strength. I'm fine lifting a suitcase into the cabin. Even if it is a little heavy." He remarked as his blue eyes fell onto the bag in question.

"I see you must have grabbed Caroline's." The brunette teased and let another easy laugh tumble from his mouth. He slowly stepped back as he allowed Matt to bring the bag into the cabin and followed in step.

Upon entering the cabin and shutting the door behind himself, his ears immediately fell to the conversation Elena and Caroline were having upstairs. Even though the rain was pummeling the side of the structure fiercely, his vampire ears were no match to the heavy rain.

"You almost got into an accident? Are you sure you're okay?" Elena's voice expressed concern.

"Stefan took care of it. I'm fine, I swear." Caroline's tone carried a light hearted giggle. "You should have seen the way he changed the tire on the side of the road. All his arm muscles bulging.."

With the next words Elena spoke, Stefan could picture the girl quirking her eyebrow and he smiled to himself. "Bulging muscles, huh? Sounds more like you two had a little bit of a get together in the back seat rather than nearly escaping a head on collision." Her voice lay flat, not amused.

"Oh, come on, Elena! Am I hurt? No. Is Stefan? No. Can we just get to the fun part in this conversation?" The bouncy girl almost begged.

"Stefan?" Matt's voice broke the vampire's concentration. He shook his head at the brunette before almost scolding the vampire. "You busy listening in on something that's worth more attention than where you and Care are going to be staying for the next week?"

"Sorry," Stefan apologized and with that the two made their way up the stairs.

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><p><em>Word Count: 2,350<em>


	3. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Yay! A new chapter sooner than I thought. This idea came to me suddenly and I really liked the thought of the four friends going out and doing something together. I really want to write this piece as a happy/loving piece (until the tables turn of course). Anyway, the chapter was getting long so I cut it off and will continue it soon! I hope you enjoy! I know not a lot of people like Matt/Elena as a ship, but I really wanted two other characters who could be incorperated as great friends of Caroline's in this. Besides, the most of you are reading this mainly for Steroline, right? ;)_ _Any feedback would be appreciated, I'd like to know if anyone is interested in still reading this story or not. :)_

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><p>Slipping out of the shower in as quiet a manner as possible, Stefan's bare feet hit the hard wood floor of the cabin as he crept into the bedroom he and his girlfriend shared for the week. He tried to keep as quiet as a mouse because of the simple fact that it had been so early in the morning and everyone else was still asleep. The Salvatore brother who was well acquainted with brooding had a bit of a hard night's rest after the incident on the road. Something about the thought of it brought a trembling feeling rushing through his spine, almost paralyzing him with the thought that something could have happened to Caroline. While he loomed in the shadows and peered out at the still forest and watched the droplets of rain wash up against the window most of the night, the times he spent in bed were left restless with no room for shut eye.<p>

Needless to say, he was wide awake before anyone had yet to even wake and all he wanted to do was try and wash away the brooding nature he was carrying so as not to ruin his time with Caroline and his friends. He wasn't as silent as he thought though as he heard a shifting from the sheets and slowly turned his head around to find Caroline stretching in the bed they shared. While he knew he hadn't slept well, he knew that the blonde girl was safe and sound and from the looks of it, had a decent sleep. He pulled up his sweat pants and pushed his arms through the arm holes of the snug white t-shirt.

Parting her eyes a bit, she noticed Stefan about to apply a white shirt to his body and the clean scent of soap lingered in the air. "Hold on, I'm not done looking yet." She informed him, allowing her eyes to fully open and blink away the sleepy feeling so she had a better view of his nice body.

Stefan laughed a little and stopped in his tracks, his shirt still needing to go over his head. "You wake up just to stare at my nice physique?" He questioned, already a hint of playful nature in his tone.

Caroline giggled in response and shifted on the bed, allowing her elbows to prop her up into a comfortable position. "You mean hot physique?" She teased, her blue eyes already twinkling with a delightful spark behind them. "And to answer your question, no. I woke up because you're as loud as an elephant stomping through the room." Another playful remark rolling off her lips.

The brunette rolled his eyes while his grin expressed how he really felt about her words. "If that were the case I highly doubt Elena and Matt would want to be sleeping just a room over from us." Stefan finally popped his head into the shirt and pulled it over his body as he spoke.

Caroline's eyes darted off to the left as her own smile pressed her lips into a straight line. "Point taken." She agreed and allowed her eyes to fall back onto the one she loved.

Stepping over even quieter, Stefan allowed his hands to gently find her face and cupped it in a loving manner. Placing a light kiss onto her lips, he held her there momentarily before he parted and peered down at her. "Did Elena tell you anything about what we were all going to be doing today?" He wondered, entirely unaware as to what the other couple had planned.

The blonde girl shrugged, her eyes threatening to get lost in his as she didn't lose his gaze. "No, her and Matt have kept it pretty silent. The only thing I could get out of her was the fact that Bonnie might show up sometime this week before she goes out of town for a while."

He nodded his head as he understood what she said and tried to process exactly what the other two had in store for them. "I see."

"So, where's my breakfast in bed, huh?" She joked, though she was partially curious herself.

Stefan rose his eyebrows. "_Your_ breakfast in bed? I thought that it was your turn to make me something, Ms. Forbes."

A small knock on the door frame caught both their attention and the brunette girl stood in the partially opened door before pushing it open further. "Knock knock."

Caroline wasted no time in rising from the bed and pulling her robe off the coat stand nearby and draped it over herself. The cool air from the rain still lingered in the cabin even though the rain had finally subsided during the middle of the night and the sun was seeming to peek over the horizon, promising a day full of sunshine. "Morning!" She was already in a perky mood and ready to start the day off.

"So, I was thinking that while the boys go kayaking, we could do a little girl recon and go shopping." Elena suggested to her friend, her brown hues excited to be spending time with Caroline.

"Hold on, hold on. I thought we all came up here to spend time as a group." Matt bargained as he exited the other room and paced down the hall to join Elena in the doorway.

Caroline's eyes fell from Elena to Matt and then to Stefan. "I don't mind kayaking." She agreed with Matt before turning her blue orbs back to the brunette girl.

Stefan nodded his head with Caroline's words. "I think the four of us should go. It'd be fun."

Matt looked victorious at his girlfriend and smirked widely. "Looks like your shopping will have to wait until later."

Elena shook her head and almost glared at him with a scoff from her mouth. "I never said I _wouldn't_ kayak. Just that I wanted some girl time with my friend." She pointed out.

"You'll have plenty of girl time with Caroline. I promise." Stefan expressed a sincere voice towards Elena.

Elena grinned as did Caroline. "Thank you, Stefan." She appreciated it before she playfully scolded Matt and walked off.

"Oh, come on, Elena! Don't be such a spoil sport. They just got here." Matt teased further, following her in step.

Caroline turned around to face Stefan. "Kayaking it is."

"So it seems." He added before looping his strong arms around her and tugging her into himself.

[x]

As the SUV trudged forward and Stefan and Matt sat in the front while Matt drove the four to their destination, he seemed to be lost in the excitement for their adventure. "Tyler and I found this sweet river that leads straight to this amazing lake last summer."

"Yeah, and did you mention the part where you guys tipped your kayak over and all your supplies got lost in the river?" Elena reminded him almost sternly as her eyes peeked over the top of a magazine.

Stefan chuckled to himself as did Elena and Caroline. "Smooth."

Matt shook his head as they rounded a corner and laughed himself. "That was an accident, okay? We started off in calm waters, right? But as we went further down there were some tough rapids. Nothing that would kill anyone, but at least it was strong enough to tip us over." He explained to his friend.

Caroline continued to laugh as she eyed her best friend in the back seat. "It's no wonder you weren't entirely enthralled with the idea." She continued laughing as she spoke.

"Not in the slightest." Elena said.

Once the car pulled into a clearing, Matt parked it and turned to face Stefan. "Here we are, man." He grinned further, looking almost like a child in a candy store.

Stefan propped open the door and hopped out of the SUV. The clearing in the trees allowed plenty of the suns rays to splash down upon his body as it came flush with his skin. He pulled out a set of sunglasses and propped them onto his face to shield his eyes from the bright rays. Once his attention turned from the smooth water, he noticed a bobbing blonde standing before him. Her hair was pulled back but the curls on the end of the ponytail still gave her hair a bit of body to it and it caused him to grin. Her own sunglasses shielding her eyes, Stefan knew of the look she was still giving him despite being unable to see it.

"What?" He asked her, almost amused.

"Can I be your kayaking partner? I mean, one kayak can only sit two, right? And anyway," she paused and leaned in to him with a whisper. "I want to watch your arms flex as you paddle the kayak for us." Her face gleamed with enthusiasm as she smiled wider, an excited roll of her shoulders following suit.

"I paddle the kayak for us?" Stefan repeated her words back to her, entirely amused. "You understand that kayaking is a two person deal, right? We both get to paddle." He explained to the blonde with nothing but joy under his words.

She pouted almost but of course it was just for show. "Please?"

"You can paddle and I can paddle." Stefan spoke in a soft voice. As he watched Matt carry the paddles from the back of the SUV, he stopped him to grab two and handed one to Caroline. "And, you can still watch me while you do it." He added.

Taking the paddle almost reluctantly, she held it in her hands. "Fine, but don't think I'll forget this." She lightly threatened him.

Stefan set his own paddle down on the ground momentarily. Coming up behind Caroline, he wrapped his arms around her and kept her close but his hands came to hers, showing her how to properly hold the paddle. As their arms mimicked the paddle going in and out of the water, his body ached with how much he enjoyed being close to her. He could practically hear her own heart pumping up the pace and the fluid rush of the blood in her veins as he remained close. Keeping his motions fixated on the paddle, he didn't want to budge from the spot they stood in.

"I.. um, I think I got it." Caroline breathed out, a small blush creeping on her face at how hard her heart and body worked whenever Stefan was in close quarters with her.

"Good. I wouldn't want you getting lazy on the job." He teased in a light whisper, his mouth closer to her ear as he spoke.

Hearing a splash in the water, Caroline pulled her attention and herself away from her boyfriend while she recollected her nerves. She looked past Stefan and noticed Matt setting the kayaks in the water before making sure they stayed at the side of the river. "I think Matt needs some help with that. I'm going to.. Go help." She stated and set her own paddle down before hurrying past Stefan and over to help the blonde boy.

Elena poked her head around the SUV and lightly laughed amused. "You still keep her on her toes, Stefan." She informed him.

As his green eyes settled on the blondes working together, he turned to face the brunette who had probably caught the entire moment between him and Caroline. "That's a good thing, right?"

The Gilbert girl nodded and walked over to her friend as she offered him a can of soda. "I don't think she's ever been this happy. I mean, growing up Caroline's struggled a lot." She expressed mild concern for her friend. "And before you came along, all she did was sleep from guy to guy. Nobody really considered getting to know her. I worried constantly about her, Stefan."

Stefan allowed an almost sympathetic smile to fall onto his lips. "You're a good friend to her, Elena." His tone serious. "But, sometimes I wonder if this is even right for her. I mean, me being who I am. If she's really all that happy in the end."

Elena stepped closer to the Salvatore brother. "You're doing everything right, Stefan. Don't be so hard on yourself. I really don't think it matters to Caroline that you're a vampire."

"Maybe not to her but it might matter to me." He responded rather sadly. "If something had happened to her last night, I wouldn't have been able to save her. I would still be here but she wouldn't." He silently scolded himself.

Even with the sunglasses on, Elena knew he was upset and that his eyes would have shown it. Stefan was never a hard guy to read. Sure, he was a vampire but that didn't mean she needed a manual. While she had grown up for years with Caroline, Stefan had only been in their lives for a few years, but those years made a difference and even she knew that. "Like I said, you've made a difference in her life. Vampire or not." Elena wanted to make sure that the sincere tone of her voice was clear and that her eyes spoke of the truth.

"I know she's been through a lot. With her parents, especially. I just don't want to be another problem in her life, another thing that she has to struggle with."

"And you're not." Elena quickly rejected his words. "I mean, has anything severely bad ever happened while you have been a part of her life?" She questioned him.

He shook his head.

"See? Don't be so hard on yourself." Her friendly words following a friendly touch of his arm as she spoke.

While Stefan turned around to see the blondes once more, he watched as the two seemed to be having a playful disagreement. It was only a moment later when he saw Caroline push Matt into the calm waters of the river with a loud splash. He began to laugh and hearing Elena burst out in laughter only confirmed that she too had seen Caroline push Matt into the river. Even from far away, he could see Caroline spin around and put on an innocent face as if to say she didn't do anything. He shook his head before allowing that large grin to plaster itself onto his face once more.

[x]

As they paddled along, Stefan and Caroline's kayak lead the way down the steady stream of water. The sun still peaking over the ridges of the mountain, the brunette took in the beautiful view and reminded himself of how beautiful nature could really be. Despite his dislike for having to face a life of eternity, there were key moments like this where he really enjoyed being alive, being able to feel the basking sun on his face and to hear the warm waters rushing beneath them. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! It totally is." Caroline snapped herself out of watching her boyfriends arm movements.

He laughed easily. "I'm beginning to think it was a bad idea to sit you in the back of the kayak, Forbes."

"I disagree, Salvatore." She protested, laughing herself as she went back to paddling too.

While he was enjoying the view, Stefan noticed a quick change of pace in the waters looming ahead. He instantly wondered if it was the spot that Matt and Tyler had had trouble in a summer ago. But, once the kayak approached quicker, the rapids Matt spoke about didn't seem as harsh as the ones his eyes were seeing. "Um.. Matt?"

"Yeah?" He called from the other kayak behind them.

"You might want to see this." Stefan insisted while his eyes darted around to try and find a possible solution. There was a fork in the waters, and while he knew the other set of rapids didn't seem as easy going, they didn't seem as harsh as the ones directly in their path.

Matt and Elena maneuvered their kayak to sit almost next to Caroline and Stefan while the other couple pulled off to the side a bit. Matt's blue hues looked at the rushing waters almost worriedly. "I don't think we'd be able to make that." He told the other guy before his eyes followed Stefan's gaze and noticed an alternative route. "We can try and make that turn last second." He insisted.

"I'll only do it if you two are with us." Stefan told him. While he received a nod from both their ends, he used his arms to push firmer strokes through the water, shifting the kayak over to the left to lead into the calmer rapids in the fork. The only problem with the lighter rapids was that they seemed to go on further while the harsher rapids went out to calm waters once more.

Caroline cringed almost as the sound of the loud beating water came closer to them. She stroked surely though as her boyfriend led the way with ease and a determined state of mind. She glanced back at her other friends. "We can do this." She told herself quietly. And as they came to the fork, she heard Matt and Elena begin to worry, but before they could stop it, Stefan and Caroline's kayak got swept away into the rapids and was quickly gaining distance from Matt and Elena.

Matt kept control of the kayak though it shifted to the other side of the fork and while he could see Elena worrying in front of him as she struggled he shouted over the racing water. "Keep it steady!"

Stefan's worry meter began to rise as he could hear the other couple struggling from far away and the rapids he and Caroline were on seemed to stretch on for a few more moments. "They're not going to make it!" Stefan pumped his arms harder as his girlfriend in the back began to freak and wasn't pumping the paddle as hard as she was seconds ago.

Navigating to the side of land they'd need, Stefan worked harder with all his might. Finally coming to a calm state of water, the two made a break for the land and pulled the kayak onto the grass, flipping it over so as not to let it wander off further down the river. He threw the paddle down and watched as Caroline did the same, the worry in her own eyes as she did so. He wasn't sure if Elena and Matt had made it because he couldn't hear anything anymore and it concerned him.

"What are we going to do?" Caroline stressed, her voice almost cracking instantly.

Stefan swooped her into his arms and took off through the woods, running towards the direction he hoped the others had gotten to settle at. Within a few short moments, he could hear Elena calling for Matt in the distance and he sped even further through the trees, shielding Caroline from the branches and allowing himself to take the brunt force of the smacking as he ran. Once Elena's voice sounded clearer, he knew they were coming to a clearing and within another moment they were there and he was setting the blonde down onto the ground so she could meet her friend.

"Where was he?" Stefan questioned Elena as he saw the overturned kayak sitting in the water and only Elena soaking and standing on the shore. He scanned the water quickly with his eyes, looking for a sign of life within it, maybe some bubbles of air, indicating Matt was somewhere underneath the surface.

"I don't know! I didn't see him go under! We have to find him!" Elena cried, eager desperation in her voice.

Before he could ask another question, Stefan saw the blonde come up for a gasp of air and as he felt relieved, the relief quickly vanished as he saw Matt was headed towards another set of rapids. "Shit." Stefan muttered out and had no time to remove his own clothing or his shoes, he took a fast plunge into the water and began swimming for dear life.

"Oh my God, Matt!" Elena exclaimed as she watched helplessly from the grass.

Caroline linked her arms around her friend and embraced her. "Stefan will get him out of there. I know he will." Her blue eyes watched with hope, though she was unsure Stefan would be able to do it.

Swimming as quickly as he could manage, Stefan needed to act fast otherwise Matt would be pulled away and under and he would follow suit by swimming after him. Desperately, he pumped his arms harder, taking wider strides as he swam. Vampires weren't particularly known for their swimming abilities, but he was in top shape as he still kept up an athletic type of build to his body. "I'm coming, Matt." He informed the blonde who seemed to struggle against the currents. Reaching an arm forward, he was mere inches away and with one last desperate stroke, Stefan managed to grab a hold of Matt's arm and yank him as hard as possible away from the rushing waters and shove him towards the shore where the girls sat. His green hues watched as the kayak fell over and down the stream before the water pulled him too.

"Stefan!" Caroline cried and that was the last thing he heard before the water engulfed him and dragged him along with it.

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><p><em>Word count: 3,564<em>

I also just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has submitted feedback to any of the pieces I have uploaded here. It's great to see someone is enjoying these, especially since most of them are just random ideas that come into my head. Thank you so much!


	4. Chapter 3

_A/N: While I know this is the shortest chapter so far (not counting the prologue), I wanted to update this story and write this up, finishing the outing drama before starting another chapter and I didn't want the second chapter to be too lengthy. Anyways, hope you enjoy! And thanks for all the feedback so far! Let me know what you think, any feedback or reviews are appreciated! Hopefully I'll be updating this one again soon. (Even though I know I really need to get back to my other story.)_

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><p>As the water tossed and turned him in every direction, Stefan knew it was pointless to struggle against the current. While he didn't need to breathe since he was already dead, he wasn't too pleased with the thought of rushing water slamming down his throat and so he kept his mouth tightly shut. While the rapids ran their natural course, his vision was a blur against the hasty water, proving almost impossible for him to pop open his eyes underneath the water's surface. Once the Salvatore thought the worst of it was over, the strong pull of the water only thrashed him around further, his back colliding into a rock formation hiding underneath the water. Feeling a sharp crack, he figured he may have broken a rib or two. Had he been a mortal man that would have been a deadly blow with the force of the water surrounding him, but Stefan pulled through as the water whisked him away further.<p>

On occasion he came up for air, just to give himself a moment to think. He knew Caroline and the others would be worrying and while the sharpened pain of his ribs ached, he knew they would heal sooner and that he just had to wade out the tides. Caving into the force of the water once more, he was dragged under again, slamming into a few more large masses of rocks. He groaned in pain in the water, feeling battered and tired but a few moments later the water came to a break where everything was still once again. Stefan came above the surface of the water, relieved that it was over. While he wasn't too happy he got pulled under, had it been Matt, that trip through the rushing water would have been fatal.

Slowly making his way to the edge of the water, the brunette pulled himself over the side of the river and climbed out defeated before he rolled onto his back and stared up at the trees above him. His eyes tried to focus as he tried to fixate on the pain radiating from his ribs. The pain in his back had already dissipated and he figured it did no further damage when he was thrown around the second time. He needed a little time to recuperate and he hoped Caroline wasn't working herself up over it, though he knew the girl damn well.

[x]

As Matt staggered to the grass and Elena helped him up, Caroline's eyes filled with a mind numbing fear. "Oh my God, where's Stefan? He hasn't come up since." She kept her focus on the last spot she saw him in and her heart began to sink. While certain injuries were easily healed when one was a vampire, it didn't mean Stefan was invincible.

"I think the undertow took him, Care." Matt's voice sounded stale with a disappointment wrapping around his words. "I should have tried harder to make it back to shore myself."

"It's not your fault." Caroline quickly dismissed Matt's chance to blame himself. "He saved you because he wanted to. We just have to find him." She ushered the two in the direction where she and Stefan had managed to place their kayak. "We need to get out there somehow. I don't know, maybe get back to the car. We can't just leave him, he isn't invincible. Maybe we can take our kayak over mayb-"

Elena interrupted her friend and stood in front of her, taking her face into her hands. "Calm down, Caroline. Stefan wouldn't want you to be worked up like this. While I know he isn't Clark Kent, I know he's okay. He has to be." She tried to offer a friendly smile even though worry was seeping into her own voice.

"Please, Elena. Don't try and stop me. We need to find Stefan." She urged her friend to back her up in this. She wasn't going to sit around and wait for him to come to them. That wasn't fair to Stefan and it sure as hell wasn't going to quit the worry that lingered in the back of her mind from becoming full blown tears.

Matt groaned lightly as he walked, his leg limping slightly but he forced the annoying feeling away. "We're going, Care. We'll go find him." He promised the blonde girl as the three backtracked through the trees.

[x]

Stefan lay still in the cool grass beneath him, unaware of exactly how long he had been lying there. The beaming rays from the sun were hiding behind the trees even further than he remembered. He must have lost track of time while he thought about what currently defined him and how he ended up where he was. Groaning slightly as he finally rose, the green eyed vampire felt the ache in his rib area vanish. He sighed a momentary sigh of relief before finally collecting himself enough to stand. He needed to go find Caroline and the others. As he noticed the shift in the sun, he realized not as much time had passed as he initially thought. Maybe a half hour at most.

Trudging forward with clothes that were soaked once again, he wiped the stray drops of water from his face where they seemed to evaporate into his skin. The calming breeze whistling through the trees reminded him that there was a reason to be glad for going through the deathly rapids as he saved his friend from a death the boy didn't deserve. The rustles near by in a bush caught his immediate attention and his froze in his tracks. Before he could continue further, a flurry of blonde hair and a streaked distraught face was coming full speed in his direction. Caroline had found him.

She laced her arms instantly around his neck, allowing her face to snuggle into his damp shoulder, her tears falling onto the fabric of his shirt without notice as it was already damp. His arms reacted in an instant, the tight feeling of them snapping her into the reality that he was okay. "Oh my God, Stefan. I freaked out when you didn't come back to me." She stated, her voice cracking in the middle of her sentence.

He eyed Matt and Elena who appeared out of the brush as well, and Stefan realized that Caroline had darted off on her own and her friends had fallen behind her. The grip he held on her was as tight as he could have remembered. He rest the side of his cheek against the top of her head, his eyes settling to a close. "Well, you found me first." He let out a relieved laugh.

She shook her head while it remained buried in his shoulder. "I didn't want to wait after seeing you go under like that." She admitted, her voice threatening to crack as she tried to control herself.

"As long as Matt's okay." He gently responded, more concerned about someone else.

The blonde slightly laughed herself. "Always worrying about anyone else but yourself."

"Hey, I can take a few beatings against a couple of rocks."

She rose her face to meet his, her blue eyes sure and piercing his own. "You're not invincible, Stefan." Caroline reminded him before she bit her lower lip almost sadly.

He stared into her eyes with a sad smile of his own. She was right, he wasn't. But to Stefan, he already lived his life. If he could spare someone else the loss of someone they lived and throw his own life on the line, he would have without a doubt. "I know." He confirmed.

Elena stepped closer to the couple as did Matt and she offered a comforting hand to her blonde friend's back. "Why don't we get back to the cabin?" She tried.

Caroline nodded and her arms gently fell back to her sides before she stepped in toe with her friend as they began to walk on. "Okay."

Matt eyed Stefan almost curiously as he noticed no defined injuries on the vampire's body. "You okay, man?"

The green eyed guy let an easy chuckle roll off his lips. "Better than you." He joked and smiled a little easier once he noticed the blonde grin in return.

"That's not funny, dude." Matt told him.

"I guess you'll have another story to tell Tyler once you head back into town." Stefan teased further.

Matt laughed, realizing it was the second time he had not passed those damn rapids successfully. "Yeah, he'll get a kick out of that." He paused, his voice coming to a more serious tone before the two of them followed their girlfriends. "I, uh, I just wanted to say thanks. I mean…" His eyes followed Stefan's tattered appearance before he could continue. "I wouldn't have made it out of that alive."

Stefan stepped closer to the guy and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder with a small pat. "Don't sweat it."

Agreeing with Stefan, Matt realized why Caroline had stuck around him and why Elena also gave him a pass of courtesy. He wasn't afraid to help out someone in need, even someone he didn't know all too well yet. It gave Stefan another plus in Matt's mental notations. "Thanks." He said once more, his blue eyes beaming of a great gratitude before he linked his hand with Stefan's and pat the vampire on the back himself.

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><p><em>Word count: 1,569<em>


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Here's an update! Hope you all enjoy! Thank you for the lovely feedback on all the other one shots I have uploaded recently. I'm glad you guys are enjoying them as I'm really enjoying writing these pieces. Feedback is always appreciated! ~

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

Her eyes radiated across the silent room, allowing his undead heart to wrench almost in a pain. The brunette wished in moments like this that he was alive again; able to feel that human affection when you were bound to someone's heart. Her blue eyes twinkled at him in delight, and though he knew he wasn't alive, Stefan realized it was tiny moments like that with Caroline that had him feeling as if he were. While he gazed back at her and allowed a sincere grin to fill his lips, he watched as her own lips pulled into a quirky smile, he pulled himself back to reality once Matt spoke.

"Here, it isn't as cold as I was hoping it'd be." The blonde offered Stefan a bottle of beer.

Gracefully taking it, he nodded his head in appreciation towards his friend and picked up the bottle opener that lay stray on the counter top after Matt opened his own beer. He popped his own open with ease and shrugged gently. "Don't worry about it." Stefan replied.

Matt took an eager swig from his own bottle before he released a relaxed sigh. His blue orbs fell back onto the raw steaks that lay on a plate. His eyes took in the sight and he tried to imagine the tender meat already in his mouth. "You sure you're up to cooking?" He questioned the brunette.

Stefan took his own drink and nodded rather certainly before placing his bottle down. He grabbed up the plate and walked towards the open patio door. "Of course." He grinned, his green eyes beaming with honesty. He wasn't about to let an incident like yesterday slow down his eagerness when it came to this vacation.

Matt took a relaxed plop down on a folding chair that sat on the porch as he followed Stefan. "Cool, but I owe you."

With another easy nod of his head, Stefan propped open the grill, the flames simmering gently underneath the rack where the steaks would lay in a moment. "That sounds like a deal." He agreed.

As Stefan's green eyes lingered over Caroline once more, he watched as the two girls ran off to do their own thing. A rush of butterflies released through out his gut and his legs almost grew weak just watching her before his attention turned back to the grill. His face felt slightly flushed and it was times like these were Stefan cursed the fact that vampires were still able to have feelings. He hated coming off as a mess and not collective, even if he tried to be for the most part. He swallowed a small lump forming at the back of his throat while he pierced one of the pieces of meat with a steak fork and lay it gradually on the rack above the burning coals.

Matt took note of Stefan's behavior and almost let an easy chuckle fall from his mouth. "You suddenly got tense, dude. What's up with that?" He asked, plain curiosity striking his words.

Stefan shook his head, feeling his face flush further and he tried to shake away the feelings. "It's just - uh." He took another peek around the parted door and into the cabin to make sure the girls were no where out of ear shot. "It's nothing, really. Just Caroline and all." He admitted.

"And that makes you a ball of nerves how? You two have been dating for like ever now." Matt reminded the vampire.

While it was true that Caroline had been a part of his life for a few years, Matt had no idea of the thoughts Stefan had lingering in his mind lately. His voice got a little quieter, almost as he spoke. His green hues beamed with a bright love behind them. "I'm going to propose to her." He revealed, a grin twitching onto his lips.

"Woah, dude. Woah!" Matt instantly sat up in his chair, his relaxed posture stiffening with a slight shock.

"I know."

"No, I mean, that's huge. Like, _way_ huge." It seemed as though the blonde lost his own breath before he let an easy laugh follow his words.

Stefan sincerely nodded, that flush finally disappearing from his cheeks. "I know." He repeated to his stunned friend.

Matt took another swig from his beer, shaking his head as he tried to process the thought. "Vampires get married too. Who would have thought."

The brunette laughed lightly and took a playful punch to Matt's shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll be invited, man." He promised.

[x]

As the smell of the cooked steaks washed through the calm air in the cabin, the fresh steamed vegetables invaded the aroma and the group of four sat at the table talking amongst themselves as they dined. The couples basking in each other, friendly chatter filling the seemingly quiet space. There were occasional jokes, some light banter, friendly laughter and vibrant smiles from every single one of them. After they finished, they all offered gratitude towards Stefan as he had cooked them a pleasant meal. Elena and Matt offered to take care of the dishes and once the vampire decided to head for the bathroom to wash up, he returned to an empty room. His curiosity overtook him as he wondered where Caroline had wandered off to.

Strolling through the kitchen, he offered a nod of his head to Elena before he spoke to her. "Did you happen to see where Caroline went?"

"She went out back." The brunette informed her.

"Thanks." Stefan responded and walked passed Elena and Matt. His blonde friend offered him a manly pat on the back.

He slid the glass door open, stepping out into the fresh air of the night, the small breeze nipping at his face. His eyes quickly fell to the flowing blonde hair as he watched the girl gazing up at the vivid stars twinkling in the darkened sky. Silently, he shut the door behind himself and proceeded across the patio, taking quiet steps down the small set of stairs so as not to disrupt Caroline. Stefan casually walked through the grass, and once he came upon her, he bent down behind her, finding a comfortable position as he took a seat. His arms looped around her and pulled the blonde into himself. "Hey you," he greeted quietly.

Caroline's gaze remained on the stars above but she settled comfortably into her boyfriend. "Hey," she returned, a happiness in her tone of voice.

Stefan kept his head next to hers, his arms tight around her body as his own green eyes met her gaze at the world above them. "You snuck off without me." He gently teased the blonde girl.

She smirked to herself, shutting her eyes briefly and basking in his arms and the feel of his body against her back. "I just wanted to enjoy the stars for a little.""By yourself?"

"No." Caroline quickly dismissed his question. "I knew you'd come to find me and I wanted something more romantic than the view in the cabin." She informed him.

Stefan kissed the side of her head softly. "Romantic, huh? You could have just said so." He brought an arm away from her for a moment, his gaze falling to a small patch of flowers just within reach. He plucked one up and brought it around to face her, kissing the side of her face once more.

Caroline took the orange dandelion from him with another smile easily coming to her features. "Why thank you." Her voice full of a grateful tone. She turned her head as she leaned further into him and allowed her blue eyes to meet his. Even in the glow of the moon, she could see the love directed at her from his gaze. She inched her face closer to his and allowed one of her hands to find his cheek before she pressed a sweet kiss onto his soft lips.

Once they parted, Stefan's eyes opened slowly and he rubbed his nose against hers in a loving manner. He smiled at her but could see a soft sadness in her eyes. He picked up on it rather instantly and tilted his head a little, his features turning confused. "What's wrong?"

Caroline's gaze tore from him and the blonde let her eyes fall onto the flower in her hand while she slowly twirled it around with her fingers. "I just can't seem to stop thinking about the fact that after this week, I'll be heading back to L.A. for school." A small sigh expressing her sadness.

Stefan's grin faltered and a small frown curved at the edges of his lips. "I'll come visit you and we'll enjoy the beach together." He promised. "Just like we always do." It had been a small ritual ever since she left for college last year.

"I know, but I just wish I'd have more time with you than a week. It isn't enough." Caroline explained, more sadness lacing with her words. She enjoyed going to school away from the small town, and she absolutely came to adore the city. But, Caroline also missed Stefan and even though they had spent the majority of the summer together so far, she was having a hard time grasping that only less than a week was left.

His arms tightened a little more around the human girl and Stefan pressed his forehead against hers. "I know it's not enough, but I promise next time I head that way, I'll stay longer."

Caroline managed to look up at him once more, and while she knew that he was speaking the truth, she also knew that the long distance in their relationship was the hardest thing she had had to face yet. She nodded her head softly, her blue eyes glistening with a small agreement. "Okay."

He leaned in and kissed her lightly to confirm his promise to her. "It'll be fine." Stefan reassured her.

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><p><em>Word count: 1,657<em>


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